Candidate for House seat sets up primary contest

Keith Noe to challenge incumbent Tom Sloan

A cattle farmer is running to unseat a five-term incumbent in the Kansas House of representatives.

Keith Noe, who lives on his family's 171-acre farm southwest of Lecompton, is the second official candidate for the 45th District seat, which represents much of western Lawrence and northwest Douglas County, including Lecompton.

Noe is running as a Republican against Rep. Tom Sloan, R-Lawrence, who is seeking a sixth two-year term.

The filing deadline for candidates is noon June 10.

Noe, 64, retired in 1990 after 27 years as an officer for the Los Angeles Police Department, where he worked on motorcycle patrol, accident investigations and traffic enforcement.

He also spent four years in the U.S. Marine Corps, and 19 years in the U.S. Army Reserve -- a stint that included stateside service on active duty during the Persian Gulf War.

Noe, who moved to rural Lecompton in 1995, said he was "committed to bringing integrity, life experience and dedication" to the 45th District. He "values life for both the young and old"; he is anti-abortion, and would oppose efforts to enable euthanasia for the elderly.

Noe also would focus his efforts on cutting state spending. The state's tax rates already are too high, he said, especially on motor fuels.

Noe would support a tax increase "only if there were a dire need -- and I emphasize dire," he said.

Noe and his wife, Carol, have been married for 40 years, and live on a farm established by Noe's great-grandfather in 1854. The Noes have four children and six grandchildren.